Reverend Paul Dumais visits Jerusalem, Israel in August. Behind him is the oldest shrine in Jerusalem called Dome of the Rock, or The Noble Sanctuary. It was built in 7th Century CE. Submitted photo

JAY — The Reverend Paul Dumais, Priest of the St. Rose of Lima Church in Jay and St. Joseph Church in Farmington, returned from a trip to Israel in early September.

Dumais was looking for an extended retreat for personal and religious reasons. He said that a friend of his in Boston recommended a pilgrimage trip to Israel and even contacted the monastery on his behalf. He felt that the trip was great timing to celebrate his 20 year anniversary of becoming an ordained priest in May of 2004.

Dumais had to find coverage for himself as this would be a four week trip. He left on July 29 and returned September 3.

He travelled to Domus Galilaeae, a monastery that sits on the Mount Beatitudes. He shared that there was no need for clocks as the time for work and prayer was told by the tolling of bells. “The days were marked by common prayer for the whole community and meals together with sixty seminarians.  I chipped in with chores along with everyone else,” Dumais said. He also reported that there were scheduled times for other types of religious practice such as confession, Mass, and Bible passage reading and reflection. He was also allowed to hear the stories of seminarians and priests and their missions.

Next he joined a pilgrimage to Egypt, leading to a 20 hour bus ride. He said that upon arrival at the border of Egypt and Israel, the group had to rendezvous with their security which was made up of four men with automatic weapons. “Well, I thought to myself, we are not in Kansas anymore,” he said.

Dumais noted that he and the group he traveled with were far enough away from the Israel and Palestine conflict that he didn’t feel in  danger in any way. He said that there were people openly carrying automatic weapons on the street, but that he figured that it was normal for them, that they have a more militarized culture than he was used to.

Interior view of the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, Israel taken in August. Submitted photo

Dumais said that “Egypt is vitally important to salvation history … because of the providential relocation of Joseph, the youngest of the sons of Israel [the person] whose intervention on behalf of his brothers preserved the families that formed the beginnings of Israel [the nation].” He said that he participated in Mass during sunset on Mount Sinai and then returned to the base that the Monastery of  St. Catherine is located at.

After travelling back to Israel, Dumais went to Jerusalem. There he visited The Temple“at Domus Jerusalem,” he said, “I lived with a vital young community that was home to two Italian grandmothers, a married couple, a priest who serves the community a bunch of guys living for God as they seek their vocations while growing in self-knowledge.”

He said that he and his group spent an hour reading Bible passages in a private garden on Mount of Olives. Told to focus on a brief text, he chose “Pray; falling into agony he prayed more earnestly.” After that, he reflected in his journal, “The inclination of Jesus in the face of agony, as man, is to pray more earnestly.”

Dumais said that he hadn’t thought to go to “the Holy Land” because he thought it should be reserved for a special occasion and he worried it would be “reduced to a form of religious tourism.” But after going he said, “I am very grateful to the community of the Neo-Catechumenal Way who served as my generous host and demonstrated their love for the Holy Land within a context of prayer and fraternal charity.”

Dumais recognized that the city of Jerusalem is also considered a holy site by those who practice Judaism and Islam.

Dumais said that he is happy to be home. He shared that he feels renewed with a new priority to prayer. He also said that he has a new sense of gratitude, especially in regard to the level of political tension in society around this time of year, that he feels like people take the amount of peace we have in the U.S., compared to other places in the world, for granted.

He shared that when he reads passages now, they “come alive,” evoking images and memories of his time in Israel.